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All About Dress Shopping!- Wedding Planning Tips

March 4, 2019

Finding your dream dress is one of the best experiences of the whole wedding planning process. It’s usually what makes that “getting married” thing finally feel real, not just for you, but for everyone who is there with you!

Sad to say, not everyone has a great experience. While the boutique you go to has a lot to do with this (see my amazing recommendations at the end of this email!), there are some things you can do to have as good of an experience as possible!

Bring the right undergarments. Wearing nude underwear and bringing (or wearing) a strapless bra will do wonders for you. Having the right things on under your gown will greatly affect how it lays. So while you may not have the best quality or fitting undergarments, at least having them will help you get an idea of what you might need to get before the big day.

Be selective in who you bring. While you may want your mom, grandmas, sister, sister in law, aunts, cousins, best friend, other best friend, and your dog with you when trying on dresses, it could actually make things harder for you. Having a ton of different people means a ton of different opinions. It could make your decision harder, or you could end up being talked into buying a dress you don’t love 500%.

Bring the extras. If you already know what jewelry or accessories you’re going to wear on your day (grandma’s pearls, mom’s veil, etc.) bring them with you to be sure everything looks perfect together.

Have an open mind. When I went to find my dress, I said I didn’t want strapless, and I didn’t want lace. What did I get? A strapless lace dress. My mom and grandma had seen it and fell in love with it, but I wasn’t sold. It didn’t look like much on the hanger, and it was the two things I didn’t want. After some reasoning and persuading, I realized that it wouldn’t hurt to just try it on. And immediately after seeing myself in the mirror, I knew that’s what I would be getting married in. So have a basic sense of what you’re looking for, but be open to trying on something different too.

Keep in mind the season and venue. If you’re getting married in the summer, don’t try anything on that weighs 50 pounds or has lots of layers- choose something lightweight and a breezy fabric. If you’re getting married in the winter, don’t get a strapless gown- or if you do, be sure to get a faux fur wrap or cozy cardigan to wear. On the same line of thought, if your wedding will be at the beach, don’t wear a full bodied gown with long lace sleeves. If your venue is a winery, a casual style, white cotton dress might not be the best fit.

Stick with your budget. Know it ahead of time, and if it’s a firm dollar amount, don’t even try on any dresses outside of that amount. However, if it’s somewhat flexible, or if you’re not able to find something that feels great, you may want to consider rearranging some of your expenses in order to raise your dress budget a bit. This is something that everyone who is involved with your wedding budget needs to discuss together.

And lastly, don’t get hangry. No one makes good decisions when they’re starving. Stay hydrated and eat light foods. Because no one makes good decisions when they’re bloated either.

Do you have any questions about planning your wedding? Comment below or email hello@alaynaparker.com!

All content and images in this post are copyright of Alayna Parker Photography and can not be used or reproduced without exclusive permission.

welcome

I'm a lover of love who is addicted to Starbucks and goes through weekly phases of favorite foods. I'm a wifey to a firefighter and a dogmom to a grumpy Whippet. I love having lunch dates and dream of traveling the world.